Truth & Lies
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: A sniper; a cold case, a lost boy and a determined police chief all have Mac needing some extra TLC from Stella after the sniper case. SMACKED One-Shot. Based on & some spoilers from eppy 7.07 Hide Sight


**Title: Truth and Lies**

**Summary:** A sniper; a cold case, a lost boy and a determined police chief all have Mac needing some extra TLC from Stella after the sniper case. SMACKED One-Shot. Based on & some spoilers from eppy 7.07 Hide Sight

**Disclaimer: **If you don't know by now you need to read my other stories! Lol

**A/N: **Okay so CBS be damned. Yes the news about a possible M/J hook-up did make the muse vomit but we were able to mostly recover in time to write this for you all. Thankfully nothing in this eppy flirting-wise so am hoping you all like this offering and be kind if it's kinda lame; we did need some time to recover! Lol

_**~As always special thanks to everyone who reads and especially reviews! You guys keep the muse wanting to write more for you all so THANK YOU! Once again and hope you like this one also!~**_

_Note: Words in italics surrounded by __double __quotes taken from the eppy_

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_Ted Carver, _Stella's body feels a small shudder as she slowly paces outside Mac's office. She glances up and sees Don heading toward her.

"Mac still with Sinclair?"

"Still," Flack sighs as he reaches her, giving her a brief hug before pulling away with a deep frown. "When did you get here?"

"Just now, came straight here. Mac sounded so…so desperate."

_'Stella, I…I just need you here. I know it's asking a lot to…to just drop everything and come but…you know what, its okay. It's only one case right? Never mind, I'll talk to you later.'_

"This took it's toll on him. Does Mac know you're here?"

"Not yet," Stella answers with a small frown. "I just got here. How's Sid?"

"He's okay."

"So Carver huh."

"Yeah," Flack sighs as he runs his hand through his dark hair. "I think you're lucky at times not to have the same amount of political BS that we have to contend with here," Flack states as his phone goes off. "I'll talk to you later. How long you in town for?"

"Just overnight," Stella replies with a small smile. "It's where I am needed."

"You're too good to him," Flack smirks as he turns to leave.

_I love him, _Stella's voice whispers with unspoken words. She turns back to Mac's office, her posture tense and her mind wondering when he'll be gracing her with his presence. But half hour later she figures that maybe waiting here isn't the best idea, what if he decides after the day from hell just to go home?

_I meet him at his place, _she tells herself as she quickly grabs her overnight bag and heads for the elevator, the doors closing her from view just as Mac steps around the corner into view.

With his fists tight at his sides and his mind still boiling, he wants nothing more than to go home, down the largest glass of Whiskey he could find and then dial up Stella on the web cam. But as he nears the entrance to his office, his nose picks up the faint smell of a familiar perfume and suddenly he stops to look around.

"Stella?" He calls out gently, his eyes frantically scanning for her whereabouts. But when he is only faced with an empty hallway and empty office, he tells himself it's not really her scent and it's just his mind playing tricks because he needs her here so badly.

He grabs his coat, telling himself that in his present frame of mind anything work related that he tries to concentrate on will be a waste of time and he just needs to go home, cool down and start fresh in the morning. As he heads for the elevator his mind thinks back to his conversation with Stella only a few hours earlier and he's at once saddened by the fact that he didn't press harder for her to come.

_'Mac, I don't mind. I can just as easily be late tomorrow and pull an all-nighter. You taught me that.'_

_'That wouldn't be fair to you.'_

_'Mac…'_

_'It's okay Stella. I'll probably just head home right after my meeting and crash from all this.'_

_'You sound so sad. Tell me what happened besides the sniper and the showdown with Carver.'_

_'I can't right now…later okay. Goodnight Stella. I'll try to talk to you later.'_

And that was it, he hung up and cursed himself the rest of the day. Mac casts his weary gaze outside, the lights of the night no longer holding the same draw they did when Stella's presence graced the city. _I miss her, _he laments, not wanting to sound lonely and pathetic in front of the cabbie.

He tries Stella once more before heading into his apartment, further disappointed that he's only getting her voice mail but tells himself that he didn't sound very inviting on the phone so she probably didn't want to be around him if he was in such a dismal frame of mind. He enters his apartment and is instantly hit with the knowledge that he wasn't alone.

"NYPD!" Mac calls out as he quickly draws his gun. A bit disconcerted by the fact that there were so far no signs of a break-in, he slowly heads toward his bedroom, hearing soft noises but angered by the fact that no one has yet responded. But just as he nears the bathroom, he stops, his heart racing and gun ready.

He slams the door open, gun poised, only to stop and stare in shock; his lips emitting a small gasp.

"I'm unarmed handsome," Stella's voice greets from tub filled with soapy water. "Wanna frisk me?"

"I…uh…what?" Mac stammers as he slowly lowers his weapon, his eyes hungrily gazing at the sight before him. "How uh…how did you...get in?"

"I have a key Mac and am waiting."

"For what?" He finally manages to sound coherent.

"For you to strip and join me."

"Okay," he answers before turning around to leave.

"I meant here…where I can see you," she arches a brow, rising out of the water high enough to give him a tempting eyeful of soap covered cleavage. "I want to watch. Please?" Stella asks, not really expecting Mac to be game for anything sexy, especially after a day of mental and emotional hell.

"I'll be right back."

Stella offers only a frown and whispered curse as Mac takes his leave; her smile, however, quickly returning when he reappears still partially dressed.

"Could you imagine the story I would be telling if any of the team if I told them my gun wouldn't fire because of bubbles?" Mac arches his brows as he starts to unbutton his dress shirt.

"I'm sure Sid wouldn't ask," Stella smiles as she starts to watch his perfect body slowly reveal itself to her; always delighting in all that he had to offer.

Mac hangs his dress shirt on the hook and then tugs off his t-shirt, feeling his cheeks flush when she offers a wolfish whistle. He had at first hesitated when he was getting rid of his coat and suit jacket, telling himself that doing something sexy for her was the last thing on his mind and that he just needed to unwind. But as he starts to strip for her hungry yet appreciative gaze he realizes that her way of relieving his stress was better than his idea and by the time he's fully naked, his mind has finally settled a little and his heart is racing for another reason.

"Come in and join me," Stella tenderly invites, smiling as Mac's naked frame slowly eases itself into the water, settling in her loving grasp. "Better?"

"A little. I'm just glad you're here," he offers in a serious tone, twisting his head to plant a firm kiss on her inviting lips. "I thought you didn't want to come on such short notice."

"You sounded so stressed and lost," Stella answers with a deep frown, as she gazes into his warm sapphire eyes, her fingers grazing his rough cheek. "How could I stay away when I know you needed me?"

"Thank you almost doesn't seem enough," Mac huffs as he shifts himself so that he's able to look at her also, both of them now facing the other.

"Well you sounded like you also needed to talk. You know we heard about the sniper. Wish it had been me at your side for the take down."

"I wish for that a lot these days," Mac laments as her warm damp fingers start to tenderly massage his tense scalp; her repetitive motions starting to ease some of the tension further away.

"Me too," she confesses as she leans in and kisses him once again. "So you went head to head with Ted Carver. Talk about a formidable foe."

"Him and the sniper," Mac huffs.

"Tell me about the showdown in public with Carver that Don says you tried to avoid."

_"Not to mention the word sniper," Carver warned._

_"Am not going to lie for you or anyone else."_

_"There is a different between lying and withholding the truth."_

"But you agreed with the press. Clever," Stella remarks. "We saw your press conference on the news."

"What did you think?" Mac inquires.

"That you looked as handsome as always," Stella retorts and his lips slightly curl. "I thought that it should be me standing beside you giving Carver just as much hell. That way he could take us both on."

_"If you were a civilian wouldn't you want to know?" Mac had challenged._

_"You're a real piece of work Taylor."_

"Trust me I really coulda used you at my side during that damn political monkey show. He wanted me to lie and I wasn't about to."

"Politics walks a fine line between truth and lies."

"That's why I hate both, politics and lying," Mac quips.

"I liked the tie. Reminded me of our first year together."

"Still don't like them…then we had a second showdown, again in public."

_"Prepared to tell the public the truth now?"_

_"What do you want from me?"_

_"Go to the commissioner and tell him the whole truth; tell the public the whole truth or there will be a forth victim."_

"But thankfully you didn't have a forth victim," Stella reminds him.

"Well he knew we were on to us and knew his last kill would be his last; he had to make it count."

"Then the hunter became the hunted," Stella mentions softly. "And once again you were right in the middle of it."

"Wasn't about to sit this one out."

"Damn it Mac we had this discussion about each of us taking needless risks that could get us killed," Stella groans.

_"It's over Tom, put down your weapon. I know what happened to your brother. I was there. I know what happened to you."_

_"You have no idea what happened to me."_

"That cop that was shot could have been you Mac," Stella reminds him.

_"The family turned away from you; we all did. I know what that must have been like."_

_"People will know me, know my face because of this."_

"It wasn't and I was able to at least draw him out."

"And then you took your shot."

"Had one man _already_ down Stella and one to_ take _down," Mac states firmly. "There was no option; no time to think."

"You told me about that exploding bullet that put Sid in the hospital. If you were hit..."

"I wasn't."

"What was it about this case that drove you so much, to take that added risk?"

"His brother."

"Who?"

"Tommy's brother, Michael Reynolds. He had changed his name to Michael Francis, then we ID'd him as the victim and that meant that he wasn't the sniper; the sniper had taken him out. So he survives hell for three years, escapes, tries to get his life back together, only…only to be killed by his brother Tom Reynolds," Mac huffs. "What a waste for Michael after all he had gone through."

"All he had gone through? How do you know so much about this Michael Reynolds? Was it a case," Stella mentions. "Who is that? Tell me Mac."

"Was the case of a young boy that I had worked over fifteen years ago."

"I don't remember you ever talking about that one," Stella frowns.

"Was before us."

_"Michael Reynolds; was nine when he was kidnapped on the way home. Missing 72 hours – took 3 years to catch the guy and get the kid back. First case I ever questioned which would be worse. Age 12 he managed to escape. I went to see him a few times after he got home. He always wanted to wear my badge. But then another case came along and another and then I lost touch. And then he was our prime suspect."_

Mac finishes telling her the rest about Michael Reynolds, his heart rate elevated and his frame still tense in her grasp. They had only been in the water for about fifteen minutes but to him it felt a tiring lifetime.

"I think the part that struck me most about this case was…well I brought it home and I'll show you later."

"Tell me now," Stella urges. "What did you bring home?"

"It was a painting that Michael had done when he was a boy. One was of a police shield. Number 8433."

"But that's…"

"My number," Mac's voice dies out into a tormented whisper as Stella's arms tighten around him. "It was truth; pure and simple. It was uh…special. I wish I had done more for him."

"Mac I'm so sorry."

"We never really know the impact we have on people's lives. If only I had known…"

"Mac don't beat yourself up over this," Stella hugs him tighter. They remain in silence for a few minutes longer, Mac telling her a few more details to wrap the case up and bring their work related discussion to a close.

After he was done relating his tale about Ted Carver; the sniper, a formidable foe to say the least; and the missing child case he had worked on over fifteen years ago, his mind was spent but his body was begging for him to take advantage of the situation they were still in.

"Sounds like you still have some inner tension and hostility from all this that you need to expel," Stella notes after a few more minutes of tense silence.

"Well a run would work best but don't really want to go outside after this," Mac huffs.

"Hmm I'm sure if we put our heads together we can come up with something to tire you out."

"Tire me out?"

"Okay so you are tired already," Stella teases. "How about we ensure you go to sleep with no energy or angry adrenaline at all."

"Well I know what I am thinking," Mac mentions in a husky tone.

"Why don't you show me what I'm thinking," Stella challenges.

"With pleasure. I need you Stella," Mac groans as his body twists in the water, his eyes lustfully gazing at her nearly exposed frame; the bubbles starting to subside.

"I need you too Mac," Stella admits as her arms wrap around his warm soapy frame, her fingers tugging damp dark strands as she pulls his mouth to hers, assaulting his lips and devouring all his fragrant flesh. The angle of the bathtub did present a small challenge, but drive on my pure desire, Mac tells himself to stop his needless griping and return her affection.

His mouth starts to devour her warm neck, forcing her body to arch into his; their union finally starting. Their movement creates small waves that propels water over the edges, but neither seem to care, too busy enjoying the other to notice about the mess they'd have to clean up after.

"Mac…" Stella moans as his lips nibble her neck and then move upward, touching a rather sensitive part on her face and forcing her warm naked skin to be covered with electric shiver bumps.

"Oh g…Stella…" Mac manages, almost out of breath. He knows his energy won't last as long as other times, his body spent after the past few days trying events.

"Come to me Mac…" Stella begs as they near the end.

"Now…" Mac huffs as he offers all he has, calling her name before the waves start to subside; their happy union complete. "Amazing," he praises as he smoothes some damp curls off her forehead and kisses it.

"Always," Stella praises as she kisses him in return.

But as she notices Mac stifle a small yawn she knows she has to get them out of the tub before he falls asleep and is too heavy to move on her own.

"As much as I would like this moment to linger, we are both starting to wrinkle and after today you need sleep," Stella mentions, her face aglow and her heart racing with happy delight. They had expelled every ounce of energy, talking and making love and now it was time to get some of that energy back by getting a good night's rest.

"Yeah I guess we both should get some sleep," Mac groans as he slowly pushes himself out of the warm water and holds his hand out to her. Once on her feet, Mac pulls Stella's warm naked body into his grasp, holding her against him while his lips devour hers once more.

_I love you, _his mind whispers, wanting his mouth to verbally offer the words but his heart unsure that she's ready and at the same place he is to return it. So he would wait, praying that she wouldn't be able to see the tormented longing in his eyes to tell her what he feels inside.

"I know," Stella suddenly mentions, as if able to reach into the innermost reaches of his mind and pull out his very thoughts. "Time to rest now."

"Promise me you'll be here in the morning."

"I have already cleared it with my boss. I'll be here to wake up in your arms," she assures him. "I'll get my sleeping clothes and meet you in the bedroom."

"Okay," he whispers once more, his lips crushing hers for the final time that night before he gently pushes past her and heads for the bedroom.

Giving herself a slight fan with her fingers, Stella heads for the front entrance, rummaging through her suitcase until she finds what she needs and then hurrying back to find Mac. But as she enters the bedroom, she stops and sighs. He was asleep, body slightly askew on the bed, only his pants on.

She nears the bed and smile, his eyes were closed, lips slightly parted but his face was finally at peace; and after all the emotional and physical hell he had put himself through she was glad he was asleep.

"Come on Mac," she softly urges, happy that even in his sleepy state he was able to allow her to move him where needed until both were finally under the covers ready to get some sleep. Stella's lips curl upward as Mac's arms curl around her body tightly, his eyes still closed but his lips mumbling, _'goodnight…Stella…'_ before he was once again still.

"Goodnight Mac," she whispers in return before she turns off the light and then settles in for the night. She feels herself offer a contented sigh and knows that as each day passes, her time down in New Orleans would be getting shorter and shorter; she is needed here, at his side. Their future was together and in New York.

_I love you Mac, _her mind offers, unable to tell him the verbal confession at this time, unsure if that's what he wanted also. But just before she too allows herself to be taken into the dark realm of sleep she makes a promise that very soon he would hear the words she's carried for him for forever. That she loves him, more than anything. And at that time she would be overjoyed to know that a heartfelt confession on his part was waiting to be confessed in return.

**THE END!

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**A/N:** Well wanted to give all my fave SMACKIES some extra fluff with this one-shot b/c we get none in the show. Hope you liked it all and thanks again as always! Have a great weekend everyone!


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